The Alternative
by Via Arterus
Summary: A compilation of oneshots, drabbles, and snippets revolving around various alternative universes. Multiple pairings possible.


**Hello again! I'm back with a new idea, and this time it's much longer than "That Cookie Though!" In essence, it's a way to help me keep writing as well as encourage me to be productive when I'm not doing web work (I love web work, I really do, but redoing 6 websites for another portfolio is a hassle)**

**So what exactly is "The Alternative"? Well basically it's a collection of RWBY oneshots and drabbles of sorts. Mostly AU based (hence the name "The Alternative") with short 'glimpses' into stories that could be but probably won't (since I lack the commitment to focus on just one story line to the end...). ****To put it another way, it's like I'll be teasing you with short stories that have the potential to be full blown, multi-chapter fics. **

**Why am I doing this? Like I said, it helps me get productive with other things since I can get ideas that spout in my head down. Plus its just fun when I get to write something that I've thought about down. Also, I like to tease. I** **mean why not give the readers something brief and let their imaginations run wild with what could happen next? (Heheh - trust me I torture myself too) If this has been done before well... (This is awkward) I would like to do my own version. **

**Well that's about the most I can explain now. Just know to expect random AU's, crossovers, and snippets of comedy, fluff, and angst... And possible long breaks between updates. (I'm a busy lass. I have 3 jobs folks and I'm graduating... For a 3rd time).**

**About this chapter: I watched "Now You See Me" for the nth time. I thought a lot about RWBY meeting to form "The Four Horsemen" Magician group. So I give you a "Now You See Me" RWBY AU.**

**Disclaimer RWBY belongs to Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth. I also don't own the movie "Now You See Me." Not even as a download**.

* * *

_Death_

The text was black, bold and centered 4/5th of the way down the card on a white banner. An ominous skull was painted in the middle, black thorns and stormy wisps stemming along its orifices, stretching out into a bleeding border of grim reds. At the top of the rectangular cardstock was the number thirteen in roman numerals.

Blake stared down at the card in her hand, an apprehensive sensation dancing along her spine. She knew what it meant. If the eye on the other side was anything to go by, this was an opportunity that would only arise once in all her possible lifetimes. The Eye was making its judgment for new inductions- an impossibly rare honor for a street performer such as herself. She would instantly accept the terms fervently if she could. The endeavor required of her, however, that "blind leap of faith" as they referred to it, brought an eerie hesitance to her immediate acceptance.

Running a hand through her dark brunette hair, she glared determinedly at the door to the apartment before her. The tarot had detailed where and when to meet for her first task. Slightly rusted, paint having been scratched off and peeled through time, it looked shady enough to make a part of her think that the whole summons was a joke.

_I came all this way already. Might as well._

She went to reach out for the knob when the sound of heavy footsteps reached her ears.

"Huh, not at all what I expected."

Cautious golden orbs snapped to the staircase leading up to the room. Instinctively she stepped back into the shadows, pocketing the card in her charcoal colored skinny-jeans, and stuffing her hands in her black faux-leather jacket. She did not want to have to answer any possible inquiries as to her business in such a shady situation. While she may be exceptional at tricks and sleight-of-hand, she was a master of stealth and deception. It would not be easy to discover her unless she allowed it.

Yellow was the first thought that came to Blake's mind as she analyzed the individual rounding the corner of the stairs. The young woman had long, bright blonde curls, reaching past her hips. She wore a brown, motorcycle jacket over a mustard-yellow shirt with a black burning-heart emblem that showed her cleavage quite clearly. Dark hip-hugging jeans were tucked into brown boots that reached a few inches under her knees. When the girl raised her head after the last few steps leading up to the floor lilac orbs shone in confusion.

"Is this really the place?"

The blonde reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a card, holding it up to better read it. Blake held back a gasp as she saw the exact replica of The Eye that resided on the other side of the rectangular medium. She watched as the blonde turned it back and forth in her hand as if trying to make out anymore writing that could be hidden on it. The girl eventually sighed.

"Well Yang… Looks like this is it."

Tucking the card back into her jacket she made her way to the door, stepping dangerously close to where the dark-haired woman hid. She gripped the old knob and turned, frowning as she realized it was locked.

"Seriously?" She tugged and jiggled the knob. "Dammit!"

Another sigh left her as she leant against the wall adjacent to the door.

"Guess I'll wait."

Glancing towards the room from her spot, Blake's brows furrowed. She had not expected for such an obstacle already. A locked door to a supposedly abandoned room? That did not bode well in her book, but if the instructions on the card were indeed real, she would have to disregard her inner warnings.

Before Blake could further delve into her thoughts, she heard more footsteps approaching. The blonde seemed to have picked them up just as well as she straightened herself against the wall.

"I'm telling you, Velvet was leagues more coordinated with her throws than you were!"

"Well I'm sorry that my aim was never spot on! That you always have to get in my face about it!"

"And I will continue getting in your face about it if I have to do another performance like that and you nearly cleave my head off!"

A groan.

"Then just be thankful I don't work with knives anymore!"

The brunette watched as two more women approached the top of the stairs - a brunette with red highlights hidden under a slouchy, crimson beanie, and a girl with snow-colored hair, held back in an off-centered ponytail. The former wore a red-striped hoodie under a short black denim vest with a matching red and black pleated skirt and black leggings tucked into knee-high combat boots. The latter wore a light blue denim bolero over a white dress that reached to right above her knees with matching leggings and mid-shin light blue boots that had a notable heel to them. The blonde visually perked up as she spotted the pair.

"Ruby!"

The brunette turned her head.

"Yang!"

Both women embraced, the blonde easily lifting the shorter brunette slightly in her arms and spinning her about.

"Ack Yang! Too much!"

"But I haven't seen my baby sister in ages!"

After a few more protests from the younger girl, the blonde placed her down. Her gaze landed on the snow-haired woman who visibly straightened in challenge to her much larger build, icy blue orbs critical and challenging. Yang smirked as her eyes picked up all her body cues.

"And who's the short stuff?"

"E-excuse me?!"

Blake flinched back at the shrill rise of the shorter woman's voice.

"I'm just calling it as it is. I mean those three-four-" her eyes narrowed. "Five! Wow! You are short if you need five inch heels to give yourself a HEIGHTENED confidence."

Blake grimaced as the offended girl sputtered in headache-inducing tones. She glanced to the younger brunette who groaned and covered her face with her hands as the blonde laughed.

"Yang... Yang no."

Another laugh.

"Oh c'mon I was just messing." She smirked back at the still seething woman. "Weiss Schnee correct? You're the run away heiress from the biggest jewelry company in the country. You performed as a stage magician but are now doing more street magic under the alias 'Snow White.'"

The revealed heiress glared at the taller woman.

"Let me guess. Your sister told you?"

Yang chuckled.

"Yes and no. First I knew that Ruby worked with someone named Weiss. Your purse reveals a Schnee company logo, and the way you carry yourself shows that you were brought up under strict discipline common to those of upper-class families, but you maintain yourself closed off and challenging judgment."

Blake raised a brow at the blonde's logic, slightly impressed at her observations.

"Also, the bracelet you're wearing clearly reads 'Snow White' and is obviously of Schnee company quality. To tie it all together," she motioned to the girl's hand, "You've got a tarot card with instructions to this location. Ruby seems to be holding one as well so I can safely assume you're as much in the magic department as the rest of us."

A silence filled the hall as both women stared each other down before someone cleared their throat.

The three women practically jumped in their spots as Blake stepped forward, adjusting her purple scarf, and footsteps silent despite her black converse scraping along the old wooden flooring.

"Impressive readings."

Despite her surprise and curiosity, the blonde grinned.

"Why thank you. I assume you've been watching the show?"

"For the most part."

The heiress crossed her arms and glared at her.

"Then who might you be sneaking around here?"

Icy orbs narrowed in critical fashion, a scar down her left eye standing out against her pale visage.

"A thief perhaps?"

A gasp from the younger brunette.

"Oh! Maybe you're the one who summoned us?"

Excitement gleamed in her silver orbs as she seemed to restrain physical jitters.

"Are you like a really awesome Magician to guide us through our trials to join the eye and-"

A hand from her older sibling muffled the rest of her speech. Another annoyed huff came from the snow-haired woman.

"What the dunce is trying to-"

A chuckle interrupted her.

"No no."

Blake reached into her back pocket and held up her own tarot, showing them only the side with the eye.

"I was summoned just like you all." She shrugged. "I'm Blake Belladonna. Street magician."

Ruby grinned as she held up her own card, the head of a hooded woman, eyes bound away by a white cloth and a crescent mood rising behind her in the center. At the bottom of the card, black, bold, and a font like Blake's own reading High Priestess.

"I'm Ruby! Ruby Rose. Escape artist and aspiring to be a really great magician." She smiled eagerly. "Nice to meet you."

Blake couldn't help but return the smile.

The heiress next to her cleared her throat and rolled her eyes.

"Seeing as proper introductions are in order."

"Not like I didn't introduce you already."

"Quiet you!"

Regaining her poise, she held up her own card, a fearsome, gray-green serpent, its fangs bared as its body wrapped around a crimson heart in the middle and the title Lovers near the bottom.

"Ahem." She raised her chin. "Weiss Schnee. Ex-heiress and street magician extraordinaire."

"Also target practice dummy for Rubbles when she played with knives."

"Yaaaang..."

"She was a SHARP shooter but she POINTEDLY missed most shots at miss Ice Princess over here. Sadly, her skills didn't make the CUT."

There was a chorus of mutual groans.

"Yang... Yang no..."

A chuckle.

"Ah you'll appreciate them eventually. Anyway!" The blonde pulled out a card with a hooded figure, red eyes gleaming from the darkness produced by the cloth, an aged hand holding out a lit lantern. The title Hermit rested under the image.

"Yang Xiao Long. Mentalist and hypnotism specialist. Plus if you ever need to see a psychiatrist, I'll gladly take a $10 and see what I can do."

The blonde gave her a self-satisfied grin.

"It's nice to meet you all then."

She bowed her head slightly for emphasis as the sisters sent her smiles and the heiress merely shrugged.

"So what are we waiting for out here?" Weiss glanced at her card. "Aren't we supposed to go into the room?"

Yang motioned to the door.

"It's locked. Been locked since I got here."

Ruby pouted. Weiss frowned. Yang sighed.

Blake chuckled.

All three girls looked at the taller brunette.

Stepping towards the door, Blake felt herself smile. Now that she wasn't the only one, she felt more assured with her choice to follow the summons. These girls weren't at all what she expected when she considered others being there. But maybe now, with these teammates, working together to surpass the tasks given to them, she could be a little more comfortable in determining the meaning of her role.

"Didn't you guys know?"

She knelt down in front of the lock, reaching into her back pocket and procuring a pair of metal picks. Inserting them into the keyhole, her hands worked quickly and expertly before a soft click reached her ears. Smirking triumphantly, she stood and opened the door.

"Nothing is ever really locked."

* * *

**That was really brief. But it was kind of a challenge to write.**

**Notes on this AU:**

**-I couldn't decide on their magician parts for the longest time. But my logic when I finally came to the decision was - Yang is good at certain forms of wit and trickery that involves messing a bit with a person's mind ("Let's kiss and make up okay?") so she got to be the mentalist character from the movie. Ruby has her speed so why not be the escapist whose character also shares a lot of "relationship sass" with Weiss's character- the more popular street magician who assumes more of a leadership position through bossiness in the movie (also she has as much attitude as that guy). Then there's Blake, the stealthier, thief-street magician doing more ninja-like magic tricks that Dave Franco made look awesome (normal playing cards slicing through pencils and knocking back cops? That's totally up Blake's alley).**

**-I'm pretty sure the girls wouldn't be called the Four Horsemen but maybe the Four Huntresses.**

**-If I were to expand on this, you can expect Ozpin to play Mark Ruffalo's role as the FBI agent and Glynda as the French Interpol Agent.**

**-Roman would be Morgan Freeman and that tickles me in the oddest ways. (Not perverted! No diving in the gutter ladies and gentlemen)**

**-Team JNPR as the rest of the FBI agents; Jaune always getting caught in the "bullshit" magic word hypnotism and rocking out to the RWBY theme song rather than playing the violin like those two guys.**

**-Kudos to anyone who caught the Velvet thing. She could have been a throwing knife assistant to Weiss in the past but what I'm getting at is the whole "rabbit" working with a magician. HA HA...**

**-Haven't seen "Now You See Me"? Check it out. I haven't had anyone yet tell me they didn't like it. But hey if you don't like it, that's cool. I hope this snippet was still decent for you.**

**Shout out to my now TWO Betas because they have lives too! (2 weeks to beta this fic are you seri- I MEAN THANK YOU LADIES YOU DID GREAT...)**


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